To Be Held at 10 a.m. on September 5
Emphasizing the Need for Prosecutorial Reform
Ruling Party: "Non-Attendance Will Lead to Legal Action"
On August 25, the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee held a subcommittee meeting and decided to convene a public hearing on the so-called “Four Prosecutorial Reform Bills.” These bills, proposed by the Democratic Party of Korea and other ruling bloc lawmakers, focus on abolishing the Prosecutors’ Office and establishing new agencies: the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, the Public Prosecution Agency, and the National Investigation Commission. The committee also decided to summon as witnesses and reference persons individuals involved in past prosecutorial mistakes or abuses of prosecutorial power, including a representative from the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors’ Office who lost the Gwanbonggwon sashes related to the Geonjinbeopsa case.
The First Subcommittee on Bill Review of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee convened at the National Assembly that afternoon and approved both the “Plan for Holding a Legislative Hearing on Prosecutorial Reform” and the “Request for Attendance of Witnesses and Reference Persons.” The legislative hearing on prosecutorial reform will be held at 10 a.m. on September 5, with eight witnesses and twelve reference persons summoned.
The First Subcommittee on Bill Review will conduct the “Prosecutorial Reform Legislative Hearing” at 10 a.m. on September 5, summoning eight witnesses and twelve reference persons. In addition, the committee requested the submission of 188 documents from a total of 21 institutions, including telecommunications companies.
Kim Yongmin, the Democratic Party lawmaker who chairs the First Subcommittee, spoke to reporters after the meeting and explained, “The targets include the Yoo Woo-sung case, which involved retaliatory investigation and prosecution of a victim of the fabricated Seoul City public official espionage case; the Gwanbonggwon sash case involving Geonjinbeopsa; the North Korea remittance case related to President Lee Jaemyung, where prosecutors exploited a witness’s difficult circumstances to manipulate testimony; the public opinion manipulation and election interference case, where prosecutors suppressed the media by linking economic cases to media investigations; and Baek Haeryong, who exposed the customs drug case.”
Specifically, regarding the Yoo Woo-sung case, former prosecutor Ahn Dongwan, who led the investigation, will be summoned. For the Gwanbonggwon sash case, Shin Eungseok, then chief prosecutor of the Southern District Prosecutors’ Office, Park Geonuk, then deputy chief prosecutor, and two investigators will be called. In the “Ssangbangwool North Korea remittance case” related to President Lee Jaemyung, Bae Sangyoon, chairman of KH Group, who stated that “the remittance to North Korea is unrelated to President Lee Jaemyung,” along with Cho Kyungsik, former vice chairman of KH Group, will be summoned as witnesses at the hearing.
Additionally, the committee decided to summon as reference persons journalists involved in the “public opinion manipulation and election interference case” linked to former President Yoon Sukyeol, legal professionals who have testified about abuses of prosecutorial authority, and Baek Haeryong, chief of Hwagok Police Precinct at Gangseo Police Station, who has commented on interference with prosecutorial investigations.
Assemblyman Kim explained, “Prosecutorial reform is intended to separate investigation and prosecution. By examining individual cases of problems that arise when prosecutors hold both investigative and prosecutorial authority, we aim to explain these issues to the public and build consensus.”
When asked what action would be taken if the prosecutors and investigators involved in the Gwanbonggwon sash case fail to attend the hearing, Kim replied, “Of course, we will file a complaint.”
Regarding the handling of amendments for special prosecutors related to Kim Keonhee, insurrection, and Private Chae, Kim stated, “As soon as the party’s ‘Special Response Committee for the Three Major Special Prosecutors’ introduces the party’s bill, we plan to submit it to the Legislation and Judiciary Committee for processing. Based on the current schedule, I expect it could be introduced as early as tomorrow.”
Meanwhile, the committee discussed but did not reach a conclusion on proposed amendments to the Court Organization Act and the Court Establishment Act, which would establish maritime courts in Incheon and Busan. Kim explained that there are still issues to be resolved regarding territorial jurisdiction and that one or two more subcommittee meetings will be held to address areas where there are differences of opinion.
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